Ray Thomas

Recruited from Albury in the Ovens & Murray League, Ray Thomas arrived at Victoria Park in 1961 as a highly rated twenty-year-old prospect who had already won a senior best and fairest in the country. A fast and fearless rover who was strongly built for his size, he impressed enough in the pre-season to be handed a debut on the wing against Richmond in Round 2. Despite being named among the best players in that first outing and showing a genuine ability to win his own ball in the packs, Thomas struggled to settle into the rhythm of city life. He managed just four senior appearances and ten reserves games in his solitary VFL season before deciding to return home to the bush. Thomas subsequently cemented his status as an Albury legend, playing nearly 200 games, winning a premiership under Murray Weideman in 1966, and serving the club as head trainer for over three decades.